Kirill Novikov Believes Injuries Won’t Hinder Zakharyan’s Success in Spain

Former Dynamo Moscow head coach Kirill Novikov has expressed his opinion on whether Russian footballer Arsen Zakharyan will be able to make his mark in Spanish football with Real Sociedad.

Due to injuries, the midfielder has not played a single match this season. Zakharyan transferred to the Spanish club from Dynamo Moscow in the summer of 2024 for 12 million euros.

Novikov stated, “Did Zakharyan leave too early? No, Arsen made the right decision. Injuries are an inevitable part of football. He shouldn’t worry at all. He needs to fully recover and then prove to the coaching staff in every training session that he’s ready to be in the starting lineup. Zakharyan has the skill. He just needs to regain his health. No one doubts that Arsen is a high-level player. I have no doubts about him; he will still prove himself in Spain.”

Regarding competition, Novikov added, “He’ll manage. He needs to believe in himself and not focus on his competitors. He should play the football that made Real Sociedad sign him. I’m 200 percent sure that if the club didn’t count on him, they wouldn’t have bought him. His task is to develop, become stronger, and achieve the team’s goals. I don’t think he needs to return to Russia. He should play in Spain and showcase his talents there.”

Novikov coached Dynamo Moscow from 2019 to 2020.